Writer Kennedy Ryan uses romance novels as a vehicle for discourse

Speaker 10:00

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Tonya Mosley· Host0:16

This is Fresh Air. I'm Tonya Mosley. Say the words romance novel and watch what happens. Some people light up. Others roll their eyes. Almost nobody is neutral. It's the best-selling fiction in the world, outselling mysteries and thrillers, and yet it's still the genre people feel they have to defend or apologize for. I've always wanted to know what makes a writer choose a genre that has historically been shunned by critics in mainstream publishing. My guest today, Kennedy Ryan, is one of those writers, and in some ways her path is typical of the field. For one, Kennedy Ryan isn't her real name. Many romance writers use pen names. She didn't get her first publishing deal until 40, which is also common. Forty-five is the average age of the genre's most successful writers. Kennedy Ryan's love for romance began in middle school when she'd sneak the books past her mom, who was a preacher. She came back to it after building a career in journalism and autism advocacy. Her characters are the people romance often leaves at the margins, Black and Indigenous, queer women, people living with disabilities, navigating ambition,